TN school education standard low, says Guv Ravi; Udhayanidhi disagrees

Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi's remark on Thursday that the standard of education in state-run schools was low, much below the national average, drew flak from the state government. Responding spontaneously to the comment, State Youth Welfare and Sports Development Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin asserted that Tamil Nadu's education system has produced talented scientists like P Veeramuthuvel, director of Chandrayaan-3, and former director Mylswamy Annadurai, for the Isro.

While speaking at an event in connection with the Teachers' Day celebrations at the Raj Bhavan here, the Governor said the education standard in state government schools has gone low, below the national average, and that the school students passed without restrictions to get certificates and degrees later. "This is a very dangerous situation. This steep decline in our education in government schools has created a very dangerous situation in our country because at one point of time and even today we look at Tamil Nadu as the engine of growth for the nation," Ravi said.

He further said that the education system was rendering the students "unemployable and not useful certificate or degree holders." "This is a very serious problem," the Governor added. At an event to commemorate Teachers' Day, here, Udhayanidhi said without mentioning the Governor's name, "A person has criticised our education system that encourages students to think on their own.”